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A Better Way

In the December 2005 item “How to Fix a Scrambled Registry,” a reader
asked how to repair a Word file that refused to open in Word. Since I
assumed a worst-case situation, in which the registry was scrambled
and thus all the Word files were similarly afflicted, I offered a
rather complex solution that required going into the Disk Operating
System (DOS). Another reader, Thomas Davis, CPA, director of financial
analysis for Springs Industries Inc., Fort Mill, S.C., wrote to
suggest an easier solution if the problem was limited to just one
file.

He suggests these steps: While in Explorer, right-click on the
affected file. That opens a menu (see screenshot below). But do
not do the obvious: Do not click on Microsoft Office
Word . Although it will open the file in Word, it will not
open it in Word every time the file is evoked. Instead, click
on Choose Program , which opens yet another menu.

Now place a check in the box Always use the selected program
to open this kind of file , and then click on
Microsoft Office Word .